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The Buffalo Bills have 10 picks in the upcoming 2025 NFL Draft, which means they will be a big player on the weekend of April 28, either making their selections or moving around the board. Ahead of the upcoming festivities in Green Bay, we asked the Pro Football Network 2025 NFL Mock Draft simulator what the team is going to do, and here’s what it told us in this seven-round Bills mock draft.
Round 1, Pick 24: DT Walter Nolen, Ole Miss
[Trade: Bills get 24, 139; Vikings get 30, 62]
The Bills kick off the 2025 NFL Draft by doing two things I’ve personally railed about them not doing: trading up in the first round and drafting Walter Nolen.
We’ve gone over the reasons that these two things are bad ideas, so let’s look on the bright side of this pick that the PFN NFL mock draft simulator has gifted us.
Nolen was one of the two top recruits in the country coming out of high school, along with a player named Travis Hunter (whatever happened to that guy?). He has an incredible amount of talent in his 6-foot-4, 296-pound frame.
Yes, putting him next to the 6-foot-1, 287-pound Ed Oliver would give the Bills one of the lighter interior defensive lines in the game, which would leave them vulnerable to power run attacks. That said, how many teams are able to pound the rock against the Bills for a full game?
In the Josh Allen Era, the Bills score a ton of points, and they often do it quickly. So, teams tend to have to pass way more against Buffalo than they run the ball. And when teams drop back to pass, the last thing in the world a quarterback is going to want to see is Oliver and Nolen coming screaming up the middle.
Ultimately, this pick doesn’t truly address one of the Bills’ biggest draft needs with a run-stuffing DT, but it does double-down on a strength, and if that’s what general manager Brandon Beane wants to do, then so be it.
Round 2, Pick 56: CB Azareye'h Thomas, Florida State
Florida State cover man Azareye'h Thomas was also on the list of players the Bills should avoid in the 2025 NFL Draft, but that was talking about taking him in the first round or even trading back—like they did last year—and taking him at the top of the second.
If Bean takes Thomas at the back end of the second, at pick No. 56, then that is a selection worth making.
Thomas is a big, physical corner at almost 6-foot-2 and just a shade under 200 pounds. Despite his frame, his tackling needs work and so do his ball skills, since he picked off just two balls in 37 games.
There’s more projection than production here with Thomas, but if Sean McDermott can develop him, he has all the raw materials to thrive in the NFL.
Round 4, Pick 109: OG Jackson Slater, Sacramento State
The Bills have one of the best and most consistent offensive lines in the league as they return all five starters and most of their backups in 2025.
Now, taking O-line depth is never a bad idea, and the Bills should do that at some point in the 2025 NFL Draft. However, after giving away a second-round pick to trade up in the first and not having a third-rounder, using this pick to take a guard is a reach.
Jackson Slater, a fine developmental guard-only prospect with limited upside is OK, but as a projected fifth-round player, this is a reach in that regard as well. Sorry, PFN NFL mock draft simulator.
Round 4, Pick 132: EDGE Jack Sawyer, Ohio State
The PFN NFL mock draft simulator redeems itself here by making an intriguing pick at the back end of Round 4.
Jack Sawyer is a powerful 4-3 defensive end at 6-foot-4, 260 pounds who, like Nolen, was a five-star recruit coming out of high school. NFL scouts don’t love that Sawyer doesn’t have an explosive first step and that his arms are on the shorter side, but this is still an interesting pick.
While Sawyer may never be Myles Garrett, he is a tough playmaker who comes through in the clutch, which he did for the Buckeyes his entire career. He may not have the tools to be a top QB sacker at the next level, but are you really willing to bet against him at least being pretty good?
Round 5, Pick 139: EDGE Que Robinson, Alabama
At 6-foot-4, 243 pounds, Que Robinson isn’t a 4-3 DE, and he might even be too light to be a 3-4 OLB type. However, he was an excellent special teams player for the Crimson Tide, and some NFL scouts think he has some edge/off-ball linebacker hybrid potential, which makes him interesting enough to be a good Bills draft pick here.
Round 5, Pick 169: DT Simeon Barrow, Miami
If the Bills take Nolen in the first round, this pick makes absolutely no sense. Simeon Barrow is an experienced player, but at 6-foot-1, 283 pounds, he is not a starting 4-3 DT, especially on an already undersized D-line.
That said, a big DT to rotate in on early downs would be a good pick here, so the PFN NFL mock draft simulator should have taken Tim Smith from Alabama.
Round 5, Pick 170: LB Jeffrey Bassa, Oregon
Jeffrey Bassa is a solid off-ball linebacker who played out of position at Oregon. He has more potential at WILL than in the middle, but the fact that he can play both is valuable to the Bills who need more depth at LB.
Round 5, Pick 173: CB Zah Frazier, UTSA
Zah Frazier is 6-foot-3, 186 pounds and ran a 4.36-second 40 at the combine. He will be 25 this year and he doesn’t have a ton of experience nor has he played against the best competition. Still, you can’t team that size and speed, so this is a solid dice roll in Round 5.
Round 6, Pick 177: CB Jaylin Smith, USC
USC corner Jaylin Smith is a jack-of-all-trades, master-of-none-type who makes sense in Round 6. He can play inside, outside, or even safety in a pinch, as well as special teams, so with the Bills' second-to-last selection of the 2025 NFL Draft, we like this one.
Round 6, Pick 206: RB Jordan James, Oregon
While Jordan James isn’t the biggest back at 5-foot-9, 205 pounds, he does run with a ton of power for his size. He’s also a little shiftier than he gets credit for. Ultimately, this is a fine pick to compete with Ray Davis and Ty Johnson for the RB3 spot his season.
